Signaling device.



R. R. ROOT.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- a0. 1914.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

RALPH R. ROOT, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RALPH R. Roo'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Signaling De vices, of'whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to signaling de vices of the type wherein a diaphragm is caused to vibrate by suitable mechanism.

The object-of this invention to'provide an improved form of vibrating hechanism, as well as to produce a signalin device of improved construction which isv simple -to manufacture, and low in manufacturing cost. 5

Generally speaking, the invention comprises the elements and combinations thereof set forth in the accompanying cl aims.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the signaling device, certain portions being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the horn with the outer casing removed; Fig. 3 is an elevation showing a detail of construction.

Signaling devices of the type herein disclosed are to the trade known as electric horns, inasmuch as they employ a horn or bell which directs the air vibrations produced by the movable diaphragm.

In Fig. 1 the horn comprises a hell 1, with a body portion 2 which at its inner end is centrally mounted upon a base plate 3, the base plate being provided with a central opening, the inner end of the body 2 being folded around the edge of the aforesaid opening, as indicated at 4.

The base 3 is preferably formed as a stamping of sheet metal, and in shape is dished or saucer-shaped upon one side. Adjacent the edge, a ledge is formed as indicated at 5, which extends annularly around the bars 3. This ledge 5 receives the vi brator diaphragm 6, which may be of any approved construction, which does not enter into this invention.

A supporting plate 7 at its periphery is provided with a downturned flange, indicated at 7, and with a radially extending lip which is adapted to rest upon the outer portion of the diaphragm 6. These three parts, viz: the base 3, the diaphragm 6, and

Specification of Iietters Patent. Pwl gnflmfl N 1105, 11915, Application filed January 30, 1914. SerialNo. 815,343. I i

, securely hold the entire peripheral edge of the diaphragm 6 against movement relative to the other part, so that the vibration of the diaphragm will not be dampened by any looseness at the edge. This construct1on furthermore provides a water-tight construction, and one in which the parts are held together without the use of screws or bolts that may be lost if they become loose,

which is not an infrequent occurrence in the use of the signaling device.

1 These features of construction just described furthermore enable the signaling device to be made at a low cost of manufacture.

- Upon the supporting plate 7 there is secured an arm 8, which arm extends away from the body of the device, forming a bracket by which the device may be attached or mounted. It will be the form of the arm is immaterial, and it may be varied in shape and size to suit the requirements incident to mounting the horn.

The plate 7 at the central portion thereof supports a core piece 9, which may be secured to the plate by extending a portion of the corepiece to a suitable opening in the plate and upsetting the end of the core piece so as to in effect rivet the core piece to the plate.- I A cup-shaped core member 10 is provided with a central opening on the bottom-portion thereof, through which extends a portion of the core piece 9, thereby form ing a holding means for the cup 10. This cup 10 and core piece 9 are both of suitable material, preferably soft iron, from which it will be seen that the cup 10 in efiect forms a core for; the electromagnet, as well as the core 9. i Surrounding the core 9, within the cup 10, is a suitable winding of insulated wire 11. This spool of wire 11 is held in place by a cap 12, which fits within the cup 10 and surrounds the core 9.

The core 9 is hollow, and through it there extends a pin 13, one end of this pin being secured to the diaphragm 6. The other end of the pin extends slightlv beyond the face of the core 9 and is in position to be struck evident that there is provided a flat surface indicated at 14*, so that when the armature contacts with the head of the pin 13, the plane of contact will be flat. This produces a longer life for the pin 3, inasmuch as the contact is in substantially a plane, rather than at a point, or on an edge of. the pin. The particular shaping of thearmature 14, which is herein shown is for the purpose of producing a uniform magnetic pull upon the armature.

It will be noted that as the armature 14 moves toward the cores 9 and 10, the forward edge 14 of the armature moves toward the core. When in final position with respect to the core, it will be found that the armature is substantially at all points equidistant from the core, thereby producing an even pull.

The armature is carried by a broad leaf spring 15, which at its rear end is mounted adjacent the top of a pair of posts which comprises a metal sleeve 16, through which extends a screw bolt 17, the screw bolt extending into a suitably threaded hole in the supporting plate 7.

Above. the spring 15 is a spring contact 18. This contact is supportefupo the sleeve 16, lying directly above the gring 15. It is insulated from the spring 15, and

is provided with openings through which extend the screw bolts 17 the op'nings being sufiiciently large so that the screw bolts are out of contact with the contact member 18. Above the spring contact 18 there may be placed a plate 19 which will be provided with openings'to receive the' screw bolts 17, which openings will be of 'sufiicientsize so that there is no electrical connection between the screw bolts and the plate 19. This plate 19 should be insulated from the heads of the screw bolts 17, which may be accomplished by suitable insulatin washers.

The spring contact 18 is mounted with respect to the spring 15, so that when the electromagnetis not energized, and the armature is in its. farthest position with respect to the electromagnet, the spring contact is pushed back under tension from what would be its normal position. Therefore, when the armature 14 begins to move toward the coresof the electromagnet, contact between members 18 and 1 5 is not immediately broken, but the spring contact 18 follows the spring 15 for a short dis'tahce, thus permitting the current to flow for a period of time I sufficiently lohg to produce a magnetic saturation of the cores of the electromagnet, which produces a strong pull upon the 2-?- 'when they are in contact. This' will insure even wear and keep the contacting surfaces bright.

The-construction and relation of the supporting spring 15 and springgcontact 18 does away with the necessity for any adjustable fixed contact piece. The spring contact 18 is automatically adjustable.

A fiber post 19 is mounted on the supporting plate 7 in any desirable manner, as by means of a screw 20 and beneath the fiber post, in contact with the base plate 7 there may be a terminal member 21.

Adjacent the upper end of the fiber post, there is a metal plate 22, above which is a Contact terminal 23, and in contact with the terminal is a wire 24 which forms one terminal for the coil or coils 11. The wire and coils associated with the upper end of the post 19 are held by means of a suitable screw 25. The end of the coils 11, which is not contacting with terminal 23, may be electrically connected with the plate 19, or, if desired, plate 19 may be omitted, and the connection made directly -with the spring contact 18. H

Surrounding the mechanism which has just been described is a cover or cap 26, which at its lower end has an outwardly extending flange. This flange is adapted to rest against a portion of the plate 7 and to be secured thereto in any desired manner, as by means of screws 27 Various departures from the precise construction herein described may be made, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1.'In a signaling device, the combination with a supporting means, an electromagnet carried thereby, an armature therefor, said armature being formed with one portion turned away from the electromagnet and the opposite portion thereof turned toward the electromagnet, a pin lying in the path of movement of said armature, and a diaphragm with which said pin operatively connects.

2. In asignaling device, the combination with a supporting means, an electromagnet carried by said supporting means, an armature, a spring support to which the armature is connected at substantially the central portion thereof, means for mounting the spring support, said armature having the portion toward the means for mounting turned in a slanting direction toward the electromagnet, and the opposite end turned in a slanting direction away from the electromagnet, a pin lying ir the path of movement of said armatit more

at that portion of the armature which engages with the pin.

4. In a signaling device, the combination with a supporting plate, a cup-shaped core supported by the plate, an inner core also supported by the plate, coils within the cupshaped core, a' diaphragm supported in front of the electromagnet, a pin secured to said diaphragm and extending through an opening in the inner core, an armature cooperating with the electromagnet and adapted to strike the pin a blow, a spring plate member fixedly supported at one end and at its op.- posite end supporting the said armature, a spring contact member lying against but insulated from the spring plate member, contacts carried by the spring plate and spring member which normally lie in touch with (topics of this patent may be each other, and means for conducting current to and'from the spring plate member and the spring contact member.

5. In a signaling device, the combination with a supporting plate, a diaphragm supported on one side of said plate, a cupshaped core supported by a plate extending from the other side thereof, a hollow central core within the first mentioned core also supported by the plate, a post carried by the diaphragm and extending through the opening in the core, a substantially round armature which cooperates with the cores and adapted to strike the pin a blow when the electromagnet is energized, a broad leaf spring fixedly supported at one end thereof and at the opposite end secured to the armature at substantially the central portion thereof, a spring contact member supported adjacent the spring plate but insulated 5' therefrom, contact members carried by the spring plate and the spring contact member which normally lie in touch with each other. In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. RALPH R. ROOT. Witnesses:

A. J. HUDSON, L. I. PORTER.

obtained! for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of JPatents,

Washington, D. 0. v 

